Chinese hamster ovary chromosomes and antigens in tobacco/hamster heterokaryons.

Tobacco GGLL/hamster CHO hamster heterokaryon frequency following cell fusion has been raised to 4-10 percent with a modified PEG procedure. In heterokaryons, GGLL nuclei become activated, adhere to and appear to fuse with CHO nucleo. Metaphase CHO chromosomes can be identified 24 hours after fusion and immunofluorescent CHO cell surface antigens diffuse into the plant cell membrane. Diffusion coefficients, D, are estimated to be between 0.6 X 10(-11) and 1.6 X 10(-11) cm2sec-1.